I’ve found something that is as calming and grounding for me as meditation and deep breath, two powerful remedies for anxiety and anger. The new thing is bird watching. I sit inside Maria’s studio (with her permission) and point my camera. Sometimes, the birds come. Sometimes, big and bossy blue jays chase them away.
They are used to Maria, but if I move, they bolt. I’m learning to be still.
Sometimes, Zip hides in the chicken roost, scaring the birds off (he doesn’t fool anybody). Sometimes, they wait until the snow stops. But they keep coming, grabbing some food and taking off. I do this for about a half hour, and I love it.
Sometimes, there are no birds. Sometimes, they come in blocks. I missed some more significant, colorful birds, but I’m figuring out when they come. Photography, I am learning, calls for patience, not my strength. They say nature is healthy and good for us. I am finding this is true.
Bird watching is another thing – like cats – that never drew my attention. Now, I can hardly wait. I sit in one of Maria’s chairs in silence and wait. It is both beautiful and calming.
I love watching their agility flying around and their enthusiasm for food.
Junco bird from Canada is waiting his turn.
Zip, hiding out in the hen-roost, watching the birds. So far, he watches them. They have his number and take off when he appears. Zip is everywhere, watching everything.
In this cold, I can hardly keep my bird feeder full for a full day. I also have a suet feeder that lasts longer than the bird seed in my feeder. I bring it in every night and refill it. I put old bread and peanuts on the ground for all of the other critters so that the squirrels don’t raid my feeder or the raccoons don’t knock down the suet cake holder, open it and take off with the suet. So far I’ve been lucky 🤞.
Speaking from personal experience, the coons will take the entire suet feeder and cart it off to parts unknown– use heavy duty plastic coated wire to wire the feeder shut and then wire it to a tree, fence or the house to prevent this—
Seems like Harold fills ours every day.
My shepherd’s rods with bird feeders are near my kitchen window so that while I am at my sink, I can watch with baited breath! The feeders are in a good position so that I can watch when not at the sink as well. The variety of birds is breathtaking! I love bird watching with my 2 front feeders as well! I have greedy birds but I enjoy them oh, so much! 🐦